1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to domestic ironing boards of the type including heating elements to enable clothes to be ironed by applying heat both from the board and from the iron.
2. Background Information
EP-A-0126530 describes an ironing board which is heatable by means of an electrical heater element mounted in the board and controlled by a control circuit also mounted in the board, the control circuit including means for electrically connecting thereto an electrically-heated flat iron, whereby temperature control of the iron can be effected from the control circuit on the board. Preferably, the heater elements of the board and the iron are supplied from a common source, whereby control of both iron and board can be effected from the same circuit to maintain the temperature of the iron according to a setting relating to the board temperature.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,998 describes a cordless iron in combination with a power control module, the iron having a temperature sensor in thermal contact with the sole plate, whereby feedback control circuitry controls the power supply according to the perceived temperature of the sole plate in relation to the set temperature. The control module may be installed in an ironing board with an inbuilt heating element. The control circuitry enables more accurate temperature control than that available with a conventional thermostat.
A problem with ironing apparatus as described above is that there is a risk of electrical overload where the board element and iron element are both being heated simultaneously. The problem is made worse by the increase in wattage of domestic irons in recent years, 2 kW now being commonplace in Europe, and especially when the board heating element requires sufficiently high power rating for initial fast heat-up and recovery during the thermostatic control cycle. The problem is even more acute in countries such as the USA with lower mains voltages creating proportionally higher current demands in excess of standard domestic outlet socket ratings, this being the principal reason why combined heated ironing broads and electric irons for double sided ironing have thus far not enjoyed commercial success in the USA.